


Darkness before the Dawn

by Josy1986



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, Non-Consensual Violence, Self-Harm, Sexual Violence, Suicide Attempt, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:48:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28372671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josy1986/pseuds/Josy1986
Summary: A story set in the world of Pitch Perfect but in a MUCH darker AU.I will be using the characters of the show, along with my OC Axis. I don't really know what direction I want this story to go in relationship wise. Bechloe without question but I have to say it might end up in a polyamory relationship.This story starts off with a rape scene, although I didn't use much details, I know it takes a few words to trigger something, so tread carefully.No I don't take rape lightly, why this story then? Because the victims of sexual assault and rape are STILL treated like they are to blame.I have written about subjects like this before and I do not shy away from them, although I try to be as respectful as I can.Trust me when I tell you that every rapist in this story will get what they deserve.
Relationships: Chloe Beale/Beca Mitchell
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> TRIGGER WARNING! This chapter starts off with a rape scene! Please tread carefully!

**TRIGGER WARNING! This chapter contains a rape scene at the very start. Treat carefully!**

* * *

Pain. That was all Chloe felt when she slowly regained consciousness after being knocked out by Rick earlier.

She laid flat on her stomach, on the wooden floor of some dark room. Rick on top of her, his breath in her ear. She let out a soft cry in pain, her eyes scanning the room, unable to focus. 

“Ah… you’re awake…” Rick said, his breath ragged. “Good… dykes like you… mhn…” he moaned directly into her ear, followed by a lick on said ear. “Fuck… I bet you’ve never been with a man before…” He mocked her, his pace increasing. “Dykes like y-you… need to… learn their place…” He said, his thrusts becoming more and more violent. When she tried to move, he stopped his assault for a moment, only to twist both her arms behind her back. Using just one hand to keep them in place. His free hand wrapped around her neck, oxygen almost being cut off. She let out a pained cry when he continued again.

Her hands now behind her back, she couldn’t do anything. “S-stop… p-please…” She managed to utter although her voice was hardly above that of a whisper.

“Stop..? Ha! No… almost done… I-” Rick didn’t finish the sentence when the door swung open and Bellas started pouring in.

“You fucking asshole!” Beca shrieked, pulling Rick off of Chloe, his pants still down. “I’m gonna rip your dick off and shove it up your ass!” She raged and punched him wherever she could hit him.

“Beca, stop!” It was Fat Amy who pulled the brunette away and for a moment, Rick’s face showed relief. “Leave some for the rest of us.” Amy said and the blood drained from his face when Amy’s hand landed on his nose.

Beca’s chest rose and fell quickly, she tore her eyes away from him and turned to Chloe and Aubrey. The blonde had managed somehow to keep her anger at bay and focussed on her best friend first. Aubrey looked up at Beca who nodded and knelt down onto the floor. She cupped Chloe’s face who flinched but managed to lock her eyes with Beca’s.

“B-Beca…?” She whispered and made an attempt to cover herself up. Blue eyes filled with tears.

“I’m here Chlo… I’m right here…” The brunette whispered, inching closer to the redhead, carefully wrapping an arm around Chloe.

“H-he…” She started, panic finally getting the better of her, filling every inch of her body. She felt like she couldn’t breathe, her own hand moving to her throat. Beca noticed and gently forced her friend to lock eyes with her.

“I’m here Chloe, breathe, just breathe for me.” Beca looked calm, she had to stay that way in order for her to help her friend. “Breathe sweetie…” She said and took a deep breath herself as an example. It worked and Chloe followed her example, slowly but surely working her way through the panic attack that would consume her otherwise.

Beca looked at Aubrey who had pulled out her cellphone. “Call the cops and an ambulance…” She said, now gently stroking Chloe’s back. Aubrey nodded and walked out of the room to talk to the police, knowing Chloe was in good hands.

Everything seemed to move quickly from that moment on. The police arrived within ten minutes, followed by the ambulance.

Rick was dragged away by the cops, his hands cuffed behind his back and his pants back up.

Chloe was taken to the hospital after they discovered she was bleeding. It took the combined power of Beca and Aubrey to convince Chloe to allow the nurses to use the rape kit on her. Each time the nurses asked her if she was ready before they would go to the next step and waited for Chloe to confirm before they actually continued.

Both Beca and Aubrey stayed by their friend’s side all the way through. Aubrey only stepped outside when she was asked to answer some questions from the police.

It was now just Chloe with Beca, the nurses had left and had taken all the evidence with them.

The redhead was tired beyond belief. Her entire body was hurting and she felt sick to her stomach. “I want to go home…” she whispered, tears sliding down her face, her head resting against Beca’s chest.

Beca placed the lightest kiss on Chloe’s red hair before answering. “I know… shouldn’t take much longer.” Beca assured her, although the brunette had no actual clue about time anymore. One arm still around Chloe’s shoulders, holding her protectively while her free hand held onto Chloe’s.

A male police officer came walking in, holding a notepad and a pen. Beca felt Chloe stiffen almost instantly, the redhead’s face now buried in the crook of Beca’s neck as she tried desperately to hide away. “It’s ok Chlo, he’s here to ask you some questions..?” She said suggestively and the officer nodded.

“I’m here to take your statement.” He said, his eyes slid over Chloe’s body and shook at his head. “Can you tell me what happened?” He asked almost bored, chewing on some gum.

It broke Beca’s heart but she gently pulled Chloe away from her neck. Their eyes locked for a moment and Beca felt her heart sink completely. Chloe looked at her with such pleading eyes, the redhead wanted to be everywhere but here and the officer’s attitude wasn’t helping either.

“Come on ladies, I don’t have all night.” He said and Beca ripped her eyes away from those icy blue ones to look at the cop.

“Excuse me? She’s been assaulted you fucking prick. Give her a fucking moment!” She defended Chloe, she might be short but her inner fire made up for the lack of height.

“So it seems, yes.” He said, still shaking her head as he started to scribble on his pad. “Her presumed attacker claimed otherwise. Said Miss Beale over here lured him into some dark room after having had a drink or two to many.” He said and before he continued he pointed towards the redhead. “Dressed like that.” 

Beca couldn’t believe her ears. Anger rising inside her while this man of the law was defending the very person who just assaulted her best friend. She was about to launch herself at the man, having fully accepted the consequences of those actions that would surely follow, but was stopped by a female officer who walked in just in time. “That’s enough, Blake. Get the fuck outside.” She commanded and Blake did as he was told, spitting out his gum once he stepped outside.

The woman then turned her attention to Beca and Chloe, her stern look softening at the scene before her. “My sincere apologies. Unfortunately some men are still living by the boys will be boys nonsense that has been shoved down our throats for generations.” She said genuinely. “I’m Mary. Please, whenever you’re ready, I’ll be taking your statement.” She reassured both young women.

Chloe had relaxed somewhat after Blake left the room, now that it were just women, she opened up slightly. Explaining what had happened to the officer who noted down everything. Beca had to calm down her friend more than once while Chloe gave her statement. The redhead is forced to relive the horrible memories while explaining everything. She buried her face in the crook of Beca’s neck several times while the brunette calmed her down. Enough to allow Chloe to continue and finish up as quickly as possible.

Mary eventually left and Chloe was allowed to leave the hospital under condition that she wouldn’t be left alone.

Aubrey was driving while Beca and Chloe sat in the back. Chloe was still heavily leaning against the brunette. She whimpered in pain each time Aubrey hit a bump in the road. “Sorry Chlo… almost there…” She reassured her friend, Chloe just nodded, her face buried in the crook of Beca’s neck. Letting out an occasional sob every so often while she held onto the shorter woman for dear life.

Once they arrived at the Bellas house, Chloe was taken to her room by Beca while Aubrey prepared some tea.

“I want to shower.” Chloe stated and Beca nodded, understanding completely.

“Do… you need help?” Beca asked hesitantly but Chloe shook her head.

“Could… you bring me my sleeping clothes?” She asked softly and Beca did just that, leaving the bathroom for a moment before coming back. Placing the neatly folded clothes on the lid of the toilet. She came back just in time to catch Chloe before the redhead would hit the floor   
“Chlo?” She said, panic showed in her voice and she swallowed hard. Chloe was breathing in and out slow and steady while they both slid down onto the floor.

“I… I don’t think I can shower… my legs and…” She let out a shaky breath. “It's hurting too much for me to stand…” She explained, her hands holding onto Beca’s clothes for some support.

“I guess that asshole drugged you too, on top of everything else.” Beca said, reaching to the tap of the bathtub and turning on the water. “Let’s get you a hot bath instead of a shower.” She continued, Chloe nodded both at the suggestion and at Beca’s statement.

“I guess…” She groaned in pain when Beca moved her ever so slightly. “I… think I need your help after all.” She said, fighting back tears. She hated how weak and vulnerable she felt and sounded.

“That’s alright, I’m here.” Beca stated, carefully guiding Chloe to the edge of the tub. “Whenever you’re ready, Chlo.” Beca said, waiting for Chloe’s permission to help her undress. The innocent and gentle gesture warmed Chloe’s heart and she just nodded, not trusting her voice to speak.

Beca took her time to undress Chloe, making sure she didn’t do anything to scare the injured girl even more. Eventually, Chloe sat in the bathtub, soaking in the warm water. Her eyes on some invisible spot on the wall while Beca helped wash her hair. She managed to wash herself but washing her hair would require her arms to work in a way her muscles simply didn’t allow.

Once she was bathed, dressed and finally in bed, Aubrey came walking in. “Beca, Jesse’s at the door. Something about a movie night..?” She said and sat down next to Chloe, who looked at Beca with pleading eyes.

Realization slowly sunk in with the brunette and she took a deep breath. “Oh, right. That thing I had for tonight…” She said, more to herself then anyone in particular. Chloe had taken a hold onto Beca’s hand while the brunette was talking and Beca couldn’t help but give a gentle squeeze. “I’ll go talk to him. I’ll be right back.” She promised and reluctantly let go of Chloe’s warm hand.

The redhead watched with a heavy heart while the brunette walked off. With the help of Aubrey, she laid down on her back under her thick duvet.

Jesse stood in the hallway of the house, smiling warmly at Beca who came walking down. “Hey, I figured you were here when you weren’t in your dorm room with your oh so friendly roommate.” He chuckled and Beca only smiled faintly. “So, are you ready for an evening full of cheesy movies? Got us some popcorn.” He said and winked, pulling out a stack of DVD’s from his bag.

“Yeah… about that…” Beca said, a pained expression on her face. “I’m sorry but I can’t make it. Something happened and… well…” She sighed and Jesse’s expression fell.

“Oh, okay.” He said and stuffed the DVD’s back where they came from. “Everything okay?”

“I’m fine.” She assured him and added a smile in for good measure.

“You know, if you’re not interested, you can just tell me.” He pressed.

“No, I mean yeah I know. It’s just that something-”

“Yeah yeah, I know, something came up and interfered with our plans. As usual, you know this excuse is getting old.” He said, no longer hiding his annoyance. “I’m not gonna keep offering you know, this, whatever this is, it must work both ways.”

Beca rolled her eyes at him, anger replacing her feeling of frustration. “You know what, I got no time for this.” She said and raised her hands in the air. What happened tonight wasn’t hers to share and truth be told, Chloe needed her more than Beca needed Jesse. “Bye, Jesse.” She said and almost chased him out the door, slamming it shut harder than she had wanted to.

She headed upstairs, back to Chloe’s room where she found the redhead on her bed. Covered by her thick duvet and laying on her side, her back towards the door. Aubrey, who sat on the edge of the bed, looked at Beca and shook her head. The expression on her face was a mixture of sadness and heartache. Beca knew exactly how she felt and stepped deeper into the room while Aubrey got up and headed towards the door. “I’ll be in my room if you need anything.” She said and Beca nodded, waiting for Aubrey to close the door before she sat down on the floor right in Chloe’s point of view.

“Hey…” Beca’s voice was soft, comforting and Chloe locked eyes with her. The usual bright blue eyes now red and puffy. It broke Beca’s heart to see her friend in such a state. “Do you need anything?” She asked, her tone of voice still soft, she placed her hand on the thick covers. Chloe shook her head.

“Alright… I’ll let you sleep…” Beca said and was about to get up when Chloe’s hand suddenly shot from under the covers, grabbing Beca’s wrist.

“No!” She whimpered, teary eyes looked straight into dark blue ones. There was fear and panic in her eyes, Beca could feel Chloe shake while the redhead held her wrist. “P-please… don’t go…” Chloe begged with a broken voice. “I don’t… I don’t want to be alone tonight… please..?” She paused for a moment and pushed herself up slightly with her shoulder while not letting go of Beca’s hand. “Please, Beca.” Tears finally fell and slid down Chloe’s face, landing on the soft fabric of the blanket.

Beca swallowed hard and nodded. “I’ll stay. I promise.” She reassured her friend, a warm smile on her lips. Only after hearing those words did Chloe let go of Beca’s hand, pulling back her own.

Beca got back on her feet and saw again the panic on Chloe’s face when she thought Beca was about to leave. “I’m not going, I just need to change clothes.” She said and Chloe visibly relaxed.Beca then walked over to the big closet that held all of the redhead’s clothes.

Shuffling through it, she found a simple pair of linen pants and a top.  _ This will do. _ Without giving it any further thought, she undressed, realizing halfway through that Chloe was still in the room.  _ Ugh… she saw me naked already and it’s not like that’s what’s on her mind right now. _ She rolled her eyes internally at herself and finished quickly. When she turned around, she found Chloe staring right at her, it stopped her in her tracks for a moment before she regained her composure. “So… where do you want me..?” She asked carefully and Chloe seemed to be lost in thought before she too snapped back to reality. “Would… you mind sleeping next to me?”

“I don’t.” Beca said, it's not as if this was the first time. While being away with the Bellas, they had shared a bed more than once. “Are you sure that’s what you want?” She asked. “I mean… after what happened…” She started but Chloe nodded.

“Yes… I… just feel much calmer when… when you’re close to me.” She bit her lower lip anxiously. “I’m sorry, Beca… I don’t want to force you to-” Beca stopped her mid sentence.

“No, no.” She raised her hands. “You’re not forcing me.” She said genuinely. 

“Thank you.” She said, her voice calmer now and moved slightly so Beca could join her. 

The brunette crawled under the covers after she turned off the light on the nightstand right next to the bed. Settling on her side right next to Chloe who’s arms found their way around Beca’s waist. Beca waited for Chloe to settle before wrapping her own around her friend's slender frame. “This okay for you?” Beca asked and Chloe nodded, her head settled under Beca’s chin and resting slightly against the brunette’s chest.

“Yes…” She mumbled, taking a deep breath before allowing her body to finally relax.

While several seconds ticked by, Beca just laid there, hoping and wishing that what she was doing was helping her friend. She cared for Chloe, more than she thought was possible. She wanted to be there for her in whatever way Chloe might need.

“I’m sorry…” Chloe whispered, her arms tightened slightly around Beca’s frame and the brunette frowned.

“Why..? What for?” She asked genuinely surprised.

“I ruined your night with Jesse.” Chloe said and Beca scoffed.

“Don’t apologise for that, don’t ever apologise at all.” She said and pecked the top of Chloe’s head. “I hate movies, I’d rather be with you.” She said and meant it. “Err… I mean… that came out wrong.” She felt Chloe’s smile against her skin.

“I know what you mean…” She said and nuzzled slightly closer, breathing in Beca’s familiar scent. It calmed her beyond belief although it didn’t stop the tears from coming. She sobbed silently at first but Beca felt Chloe tremble.

She just closed her eyes and let the older girl cry. One of her hands gently stroking Chloe’s back in a soothing, calming manner. She felt something break inside of her when Chloe’s soft sobs turned into heartbreaking ones. Arms moved from Beca’s waist to her neck and the redhead just held onto the brunette for dear life.

“I’m here…” Beca whispered, fighting to keep her own tears at bay. “I’ll always be here for you, Chlo.” She promised and to prove her words, she gently squeezed the woman's frame. Beca lost track of time but Chloe’s sobs slowly died down into the occasional sniffle until they stopped and her breathing evened out. A sign that the injured woman had fallen asleep.

_ I’ll always be here for you… Chloe… _


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introduction of Axis.

It had been four months since Chloe’s assault. Four months filled with nightmares and jolting up in the middle of the night, screaming.

Two months where Beca tried to help her friend through those terrible nights, holding the redhead and gently rocking her body. Chloe would eventually fall back asleep from exhaustion, only to wake up some hours later. Still exhausted. It didn’t help the poor woman either knowing her attacker was still out there.

Rick had been charged with sexual assault, arrested but was released on bail. His father had paid the high amount to set his son free once again and Rick was freed of all charges after a quick trial. Chloe and the fellow Bellas were devastated by this new blow but unfortunately there wasn’t anything that they could've done.

There had not been actual witnesses as to what happened and would eventually lead up to the assault. They made it all out that Chloe had lured Rick away from the group and was doing this to get money.

Rick walked out of court that day with a huge grin on his face, his eyes locked with Chloe’s for the briefest of moments. The redhead had rushed to the toilet quickly after and spent at least half an hour vomiting and eventually heaving.

Beca had tried to comfort her, she truly did but all Chloe felt was pure terror.

She had been raped, abused, beaten and her attacker managed to get away with it. Walked freely over campus with his friends and perhaps planned another attack.

The young woman pretty much locked herself up after that, only coming outside for classes she needed to attend and every once in a while to practice with the Bellas.

Today was one of the days where she went to class, her heart hammering in her chest with every step. Class wasn’t the only reason she had to leave the safety of the house today, she desperately needed a shower too. Unfortunately for her, the boiler at home died two days ago. Missing one day was already horrible enough, missing two days without being able to scrub her entire body clean was just something she couldn't accept. So she put on a brave face, packed what she needed along with the rest of her supplies and headed to the public bathroom. It was women only, which in itself was a relief although she remembers a time where she snuck in Tom back in a past that seemed a lifetime ago.

She turned the tap and let the water run while she undressed. Putting her clothes on the hook and checked the temperature first before hopping under the shower. She let out a deep sigh while the warm fluid ran over her body, covering it in a warm blanket that soothed her soul. For a while she just stood her, one arm around her body and her other hand moved through her hair. Somewhere in the distance, she heard someone singing. It broke her from the darker thoughts that were going through her mind. While her focus returned, the voice became clearer too. She turned her head slightly to the right, the general direction where the voice came from. The walls in the public bathroom weren’t solid but made of frosted glass windows. All Chloe could see was some blurred vision of someone who, like her, was taking a shower.

Whoever it was, the person in question sang a cover of the song Scars to your Beautiful but with a deeper voice. Chloe always loved the song and used to sing it herself too sometimes. These days, she hardly ever sang anything. This version though, made her want to join in.

She smiled faintly to herself, waiting for the person to finish and hopefully start over. After a few seconds, they did.

Chloe felt her heart hammer when the stranger sang the first few words and joined in. Softly, at first holding back before she slowly let go to match the stranger. She didn’t realize it at first but after a minute she noticed the stranger had stopped. She too then quickly did the same and put her hand over her mouth. _Oh no… they didn’t like that I-_

“Why’d you stop?” The voice asked so suddenly it made Chloe flinch. Chloe swallowed, not sure if she should answer or not. “You alright?” The stranger sounded worried.

“Y-yeah I’m okay.” Chloe said. “I stopped cause you did.” She explained.

“Ah! Sorry, I just wanted to listen for a sec, I wasn't sure if I was hearing things or not.” A light chuckle followed, the sound brought a faint smile to Chloe’s lips. “How about we continue? Together?”

It was a simple, innocent question but it brought tears to Chloe’s eyes nonetheless. She always loved to sing no matter when or where. Her trauma blocked most of the things that she used to enjoy without thinking about. He didn’t just assault her physically, but mentally too. Pieces of what made Chloe, Chloe, were missing. Singing, being affectionate to people at the most random of moments, even her morning runs and many other smaller things. Every day of the last four months, she felt broken like she was damaged beyond repair.

Beca, being the closest friend she has, the only person able to touch her without Chloe completely freaking out.

Chloe always felt guilty when Beca woke up with dark rings under her eyes but the brunette waved away her concern. _‘You know I’m an owl, Chlo.’_ She had said and winked at the redhead as extra reassurance. Chloe ended up insisting that Beca slept in her own dorm, reassuring Beca in return that the nightmares had stopped. Chloe had lied and Beca only reluctantly believed her but did as Chloe requested.

The nightmares continued up on this very day, but today she felt like a small piece of her old self was recovered.

“So that’s a no then?” The voice asked and it snapped Chloe back to reality.

“No! I mean, yes!” She quickly responded and another light chuckle followed. 

“Alright, awesome, how about I start it off and you just join in when ready?” The stranger suggested.

“Ye, yes of course.” Chloe said and just waited.

It was only a couple of seconds later that the stranger started and Chloe joined in almost instantly. She put both her hands against the shower wall, allowing the water to run over her back as she sang. A few hours back she had felt like her world had crashed down and burned completely. Now, she felt like a small ray of sunshine finally managed to seep through the cracks of her broken heart. 

Suddenly, the shower curtain was roughly moved to the side. The action made Chloe flinch, hard. Hard enough to, while she turned, lose footing and fall to the hard floor. She let out a shriek when her eyes locked with Tom who stood there, butt naked.

“Hey sexy… I knew I’d find you here. I totally got your subtle hint during class.” He said with a wink and stepped into the shower stall.

Chloe was absolutely terrified and her eyes widened in horror while she watched him get closer. “N-no… wh-what hint?” She uttered, trying desperately to cover up with her hands.

He just laughed, ignoring the fearful expression clearly plastered on her face. “Uhu, you know what i’m talking about. I was sitting next to you in class when you opened your bag, showing me where you’d be after class was over.” He bit his lower lip and Chloe felt like she was going to throw up when he spread his arms like he was saying, ‘Tada..!’. “So here I am.”

Chloe swallowed hard and tried to get back on her feet, failing due to the water and the floor being too slippery. She had nothing to grab onto for support either. “No, Tom. I-I didn’t.” She pushed herself against the wall, wishing to god it would swallow her. Pulling her legs up against her chest and wrapping her arms around them. “I don’t know what you saw… but I wasn’t hinting at this. Please, just leave.” She heard her voice cracking and felt her body shake. She felt like there was something wrapped around her chest, forcing the air from her lungs and taking away the ability to breathe. She was going into full blown panic attack mode if he wouldn’t stop moving towards her.

“Dude, get the hint.” A voice spoke and a young woman came from around the corner, staring straight at Tom. It was the stranger.

Tom looked over his shoulder and frowned. “Who the hell are you?” He said, eyeing the woman up and down. She wore a pair of linen pants and a simple shirt. Her hair is still damp from the shower she just hopped out from. “This isn’t any of your business. Just-” He didn’t get to finish that sentence when a hand grabbed him roughly by the back of his neck and pulled him out of the stall and back into the general area of the public bathroom. “Hey! Watch it!” He warned but the woman, who was at least a foot taller than him, didn’t look impressed at the slightest. She instead raised her eyebrows, expecting him to continue.

“Or… what? You’ll scare me to death with your floppy penis?” She asked but didn’t wait for an answer. “Get out, this is the women’s bathroom.” He looked from the stranger to Chloe and back, considering his options for a moment. He ended up grabbing his clothes and left. Only after he disappeared did the stranger turn around and did turquoise eyes lock with icy blue ones.

She raised her hands in the air in surrender as she stepped closer towards Chloe. “I’m sorry about that, are you alright..?” She asked, the tone in her voice no longer showing the aggression it did a few moments ago when she was talking to Tom.

Chloe shook her head, taking in a shuddering breath as the slight chill of the area hit her bare skin. She had managed to turn off the water but ended up regretting the decision since she removed her only source of warmth. “No I-I’m not I…” When she found her voice again she noticed she had started crying.

The stranger still held her hands up. “Do you mind if I step closer..? I want to give you your towel…” She said and nudged with her head towards the towel that was hanging just out of reach of the redhead to take herself. Chloe nodded and the stranger stepped closer, carefully not to slip. She grabbed the towel and handed it to Chloe who then wrapped it around her upper body in an attempt to stay warm.

“Breathe in through your nose and release through your mouth.” The stranger said, noticing the increase of Chloe’s possible panic attack. She started to breathe along with Chloe who followed the strangers example. Her heart finally calmed slightly and no longer felt like it could explode at any second.

“That’s it, keep going.” She said and Chloe followed the woman's example.

Finally, after a couple of minutes that felt like hours, Chloe calmed enough to speak. “I… thank you.” She just said, still feeling on edge.

“Is there anything I can do?” The stranger asked and Chloe almost shook her head. 

“I…” She took a deep breath, hating the fact that she was still on the verge freaking the fuck out. “Could you call someone for me..?” She asked and hated how vulnerable she sounded.

“Of course.” She said and after being given instructions, managed to unlock Chloe’s phone, called Beca.

“Hey Chlo, what’s up?” Chloe knew that she’d break down completely if she’d have to explain the situation to Beca, so the stranger did it for her. Beca was in her dorm but after the stranger hung up, she came rushing in within ten minutes.

“Oh my god, Chloe!” She cried, seeing her friend on the wet floor. She put a big towel around Chloe’s body, covering her up completely before hugging her friend. The redhead just grabbed onto the petite brunette like an anchor.

“Thank you for coming.” She whispered, her panicked state finally subsiding, her body still shaking. Beca helped her back on her feet but the redhead let out a soft ‘shoot’ when she tried to stand on her right ankle. It was slightly swollen and started to show bruising.

“Ouch… I think you sprained your ankle when you fell.” The stranger said, she’d just been standing there ever since Beca came running in.

Chloe looked from her ankle up to the stranger and then to Beca. “Shit… I can’t walk back home like this…” She hissed in pain when she tried to put any weight on it. Beca put Chloe down on the stool that the stranger had given her after she found it somewhere in another stall.

“I could bring you two back home?” The stranger offered. “I live off campus and got my own car.” She explained. “Do you live far?” She asked.

“No, but it's too far to walk, at least with a busted ankle.” Chloe said and tried once again to put any weight on it, it was still as painful as before.

“I mean, if it’s no trouble for you?” Beca said, looking up at the stranger. “She could use a break.” She continued and the stranger nodded. “I’m Beca, by the way. Beca Mitchel.” Reaching out a hand which the stranger took to shake.

“Pleasure, I’m Axis Blackwood.” She nodded and looked towards Chloe, giving the redhead a polite nod.

“Chloe Beale.” 

“It’s no trouble, really.” Axis assured them both. “Let me get dressed quickly, once you’re done we can be on our merry way.” And with that, Axis disappeared.

Beca turned back to Chloe, giving her a warm smile before helping her friend dress quickly. The brunette noticed that Chloe had lost quite some weight over the course of the last few months, it worried her and tugged at her heartstrings. The brunette didn’t say anything, her dark blue eyes had locked with icy ones and Chloe quickly broke their eye contact. After she got dressed, she put an arm over Beca’s shoulders for support, Beca in return wrapped one arm around Chloe to prevent the redhead from falling.

Axis came back this time fully dressed, a sports bag in one hand and a backpack in the other. She wore black sneakers, a pair of baggy jeans and a hockey hoodie on top. Her hair was still hanging loosely over her shoulders and the girls could see a small red feather dangling from one of her earrings. “Alright, my car isn’t far.” She said and reached for Chloe’s bag that Beca was struggling with to put over her shoulder.

“Thanks dude.” Beca said with a smile, now able to focus on Chloe instead of the bag. Axis just nodded and walked to the door, leading the way outside. Her car was indeed parked almost next to the entrance of the building and while Beca helped Choe settle first, she used the door on the other side to settle next to her friend.

Axis put all the bags in the trunk and settled behind the wheel once she was done. Turning on the heater when she noticed Chloe shivering. “Alright ladies, all strapped in?” She asked, putting on her own belt, both women in the back nodded. Beca gave Axis the address of the Bella house and the trio took off.

“So does this house doesn’t have a working shower?” Axis asked suddenly.

Chloe was snuggled up to Beca, her arm hooked with the small brunette. She looked into the front mirror where she locked eyes with Axis to answer.

“Oh, we do but the water heater gave out a few days ago and there’s no hot water.”

“Ah, yeah, that explains it.” She said with a smile, revealing perfect teeth. “I could take a look, see if it’s an easy fix or not. I’m pretty good around machines and anything with electric wires.” The two Bellas happily accepted that offer. Anything to avoid having to shower in the public bathrooms again.

“How about you?” Beca asked suddenly and the question pulled Chloe from her train of thoughts. “Doesn’t your place have a working shower?” Her hand rested on Chloe’s, her thumb gently rubbed the soft skin underneath it.

“Heh, my place does yeah, but I was working out earlier at the gym here on campus. I rather not smell like rotten meat and marinate in my own sweat while driving home.” They all chuckled lightly.

The drive was short and within 15 minutes the car stopped on the driveway in front of the house. Beca informed the girls on their way already by sending a text to Fat Amy, who in turn informed the rest.

Stacie opened the door, letting in Chloe and Beca, ready to close the door. “Wait up Stace, someone else is coming.” Beca said and walked with Chloe to the couch.

Stacie frowned but did as Beca asked, pulling the door fully open and seeing Axis standing there. “Oh! Hey.” Stacie smiled friendly, a bit taken aback by Axis height. She herself was the tallest of the Bellas and Axis was towering over her. “Jesus, you’re tall.” Was the only thing she could say.

“What the hell did they feed you when you were younger?” Fat Amy asked, she had come down the stairs. “Smaller people?” All three of them laughed.

“Mhno, just regular food.” Axis said and another shock came when they heard her speak.

“Your voice is deeper than the mariana trench, holy shit.” Fat Amy said. “And I’d know, I’m from Australia.” Axis let out a light chuckle. “So, who are you and what are you doing here?”

“Oh, I’m Axis. I uh, gave Beca and Chloe a ride home. Chloe sprained her ankle.” She simply stated and put Chloe’s bag down in the hallway. “Oh and I heard you ladies had trouble with your water heater, they said it was okay that I checked it out real quick.”

“Are you a handyman or something?” Stacie asked.

“Or something is correct.” Axis said.

“Well it would be nice to be able to shower again.” Fat Amy stated and shrugged.

“Jesus guys, just let her inside.” Beca said and walked towards the small group. “And stop staring at her like she’s some kind of freak.” She stated before she actually stopped in front of Axis, only now realizing how tall she was. “Fuck, you _are_ tall.” She shook her head and motioned Axis to follow her.

The taller woman followed the brunette upstairs to the bathroom where the busted boiler was located. Beca didn’t actually live in the house, but after taking care of Chloe for weeks, she knew the house inside and out. “There it is, crappy thing.” She said and let out a sigh, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Alright, before I start, could you turn off the breaker for this room? Wouldn’t want to electrocute myself.” Axis said and Beca nodded, disappearing from sight. She came back up only a few short minutes later and Axis was already working on the machine, having removed the front panel to reveal everything underneath. “Could you, I mean do you need me to shine some extra light?” The lights in the bathroom were now off and Axis nodded at Beca’s question who then pulled the small device out of her pocket.

“Thanks, that helps.” Axis said while she worked, letting out a soft ‘mhn’ or an ‘ah’ every so often.

Beca was now sitting next to the taller woman and tall she was. She figured that Axis was at least 6 feet tall, if not more. She had a piercing through her nose and a stud piercing under her lower lip. No further earrings except the single one in her right earlobe with the red feather attached to it. Her skin was tan but only lightly and her eyes a color she hadn’t seen before. Eyes that were now looking directly into her own. Her heart skipped a beat.

“Alright, all done.” Axis said and Beca felt like she was caught staring.

“I uh, oh, well that was… that was quick.” She got back on her feet, turned off the light of her phone and tucked it back into her pocket. She frowned at herself and shook her head.

“Yeah, could you turn the breaker back on? We can test it immediately.”

“Sure.” She said and rushed out the bathroom, anything to get away from those piercing eyes. _God what's wrong with me, I didn’t do shit. Why the fuck am I acting like she caught me eyefucking her._ She turned the breaker back on and headed back upstairs. Finding Axis with her ear against the water heater. _What is she do-_

“Yeah, it’s working. It’s humming.” She said and put the panel back on its original place. 

Beca smiled genuinely. “Awesome, thanks!”

The two walked back downstairs and into the living room. “Hot water is back on Pitches.” Beca announced and the girls, including Chloe, cheered.

“Well ladies, it was a pleasure but I’ll get out of your hair.” Axis said, ready to leave.

“Holy shit, you weren’t kidding about her voice.” Emily said who sat on the couch. “And about how tall she is.”

“Yeah, they used to feed her smaller people when she was a baby.” Fat Amy said overdramatically. Leaning backwards against the backrest of the couch with her feet on the small table in front of her. Axis frowned but smiled amused as she gently shook her head. The rest of the girls all laughed.

“We’re about to have dinner, all of us.” Chloe said while Beca settled next to the redhead on the couch. “How about you stay for dinner? As a way to repay you for…” Chloe stopped for a moment but Axis knew what she meant.

“For fixing your water heater and taking you home?” Axis quickly added before anyone would question the reason why Chloe had stopped. “Sure, I like food.” Axis said and Chloe showed her a small, grateful smile.

While the girls got kicked into gear, Chloe, Beca and Axis stayed behind in the living room. Only when she was sure that only the three of them were present did Chloe say something. “Thank you.” She said while she looked at Axis, the taller woman sat down on the wooden coffee table where Chloe’s injured foot was resting on.

“Don’t mention it.” She said and then looked down at Chloe’s ankle. “You should bandage that up and put an icepack on it. It will keep the swelling to a minimum and the bandage will give you some support that allows you to walk around. Just don’t push yourself.” She kept some distance between herself and the redhead. Even though it was just her feet that she was sitting close to. “Do you have a first aid kit?” Axis asked and Beca nodded.

“Yeah it's actually in the bathroom upstairs, under the sink.”

Axis headed upstairs and came back down not long after, holding the item she needed in her hand. She sat back down and held out the ace bandage roll to Beca who looked at it with widened eyes.

“Oh I uh, I don’t actually know how to uhm.” She smiled awkwardly and looked from Chloe to Axis and back.

Chloe wasn’t sure what to do either. She never followed any first aid lessons, now wishing she had. “Well, do…” She started and looked into Axis’ direction. “Do you know how to apply it?”

Axis looked surprised. “Yeah, I mean, I could if you don’t mind?”

Chloe was conflicted, no one except for Beca had touched her ever since her attack. She’d freak out if someone did no matter who it was and she hated herself for it. She felt herself squeeze Beca’s arm, partly to feel that the woman was still there and partly to draw as much strength from Beca’s presence as was humanly possible. She needed her ankle wrapped up and she was sure no one else could do it since no one else had brought it up earlier.

Axis had shown nothing but kindness and patience for her up to this point and she doubted that the taller woman would suddenly change her attitude. In the showers Axis had kept her distance and even now she was sitting away to give Chloe her space. The redhead knew Axis wasn’t stupid and probably connected some dots in her head the way Chloe had been behaving ever since she dragged Tom out of her shower stall. But the taller woman hadn’t pushed her to talk about anything.

Axis had respected the invisible boundaries that Chloe had set up even though she didn’t even know the redhead. She had been respectful, shown patience and even managed to calm her down enough in the shower where she normally would’ve gone into a full blown panic attack. And here she was, contemplating if this woman would do anything to hurt her by wrapping the bandages around her ankle. The very notion seemed ridiculous and after taking a shaky breath, she answered. “No, go ahead.” Her voice softer than she wanted it to be while she watched Axis move closer and her grip around Beca’s arm tightened. 

Axis moved carefully almost delicately like she was working with glass. Raising up Chloe’s leg to put it back down on her lap. 

Chloe held her breath, expecting herself to tense up which didn’t happen. She watched as Axis worked and wrapped her ankle up. It was swollen and there were dark bruises on and around the swelling. Axis hands were softer than she had imagined them to be, mostly because of the tall woman’s appearance and how she had manhandled Tom. She smiled slightly at the memory, it was a strange feeling of comfort that this woman, a stranger up until they had introduced themselves, would come to help her.

“Alright, all done.” Axis’ voice brought Chloe back to the present and she smiled at the tall woman.

“Feels better already.” She assured and put her foot on the floor to check if that was really the case. There was pain but not as much as before, at least she’d be able to go to the bathroom on her own. She brought her leg back up and put it back on the table now that Axis had moved back into her former position, giving the redhead back her space.

“I’ll go see if I can help out in the kitchen.” She said and got on her feet, leaving Beca and Chloe alone in the living room.

“She’s nice.” Beca stated and Chloe nodded. “How are you feeling now?” She asked her friend and Chloe just smiled at Beca at first.

“Better than expected, really…” She said and she meant it, placing her head on Beca’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there.” Beca whispered and took a deep, shaky breath. “I should’ve been there I should’ve-” She was interrupted by Chloe.

“Becs, you can’t follow me wherever I go. You have to sleep, eat, study, work.” Chloe reassured her friend, and nuzzled a bit closer. “I’m okay… I want to get through this. I want…” She swallowed loudly. “I want to be me again, the old me before everything went to hell.” There was sorrow in her voice. She missed touching people, being able to just hug them. Let herself be hugged at the most random of moments. She couldn’t stop a tear from escaping her, she closed her eyes to enjoy the happy memories. She let herself be pulled closer by Beca with an arm around her shoulders, shifting position slightly to place her head on Beca’s lap. Her legs settled on the couch. A gentle hand affectionately started to stroke the mass of her red hair as she slowly drifted into a light slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dont forget to comment!


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